Clothes dryers



July 23, 1957 DUNN 2,800,010

CLOTHES DRYERS Filed June 20, 1955 United States. 7 Patent CLOTHES DRYERS Harold George Dunn, Perivale, Greenford, England, as-

signor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,565

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 26, 1954 Claims. (Cl. 68-242) The present invention relates to a squeeze type clothes dryer adapted to be used independently of or in; association with a clothes washer.

According to the present invention, a rubber or other collapsible container such as neoprene for receiving the clothes to be dried is placed in a container having means for generating steam therein on the exterior of the bag, whereby the steam will collapse the bag against a vented closure and squeeze the water from the clothes within the bag.

According to one form of the present invention, an electrode type heater is provided for evaporating the water, and a constant level of Water is maintained over the electrodes by means of a suitable valve arrangement. A valved conduit is provided for leading water to the electrode well which is opened' simultaneously with the closing of the electric switch for energizing the electrodes. The electric switch, in addition to being man ually. closable, may also be made to be pressure operated so that when a predetermined pressure developes in the casing on the exterior of the bag, the switch will open and the water valve will close.

A conduit leads from the chamber between the casing and; the bag to a condenser for condensing the steam generated in the boiler, and a valve is positioned in the conduit between the generating chamber and the-condenser which remains closed as long asthe electric switch is closed and is opened when the'switch is opened so as to permit the steam inthe generating chamber to flow into the condenser and release the pressure on the exterior of the bag so that the clothes may be removed from its interior.

A pressure relief valve is also provided for relieving the pressure should the switch fail to operate, or in the case where a manually actuatable switch is used. The relief valve is positioned in a second conduit leading from the generating chamber to ,the condenser so that the escaping steam will condense and be led back to the reservoir.

The upper open end of the rubber bag is preferably 7 suitably secured to a metallic ring which rests upon the upper rim of the generating vessel. It is held in place by a hinged cover having openings for the escape of the water squeezed from the clothes.

According to a second modification of the invention, a flash boiler may be provided in the base of the generating vessel with sufiicient heat absorbing capacity that heatwill'be stored therein between squeezing operations whereby the water will be quickly vaporized during succeeding squeezing operations. In this modification,- a manually. set valve is provided in the'tube leading to the flash boiler whereby the water may be supplied drop by drop.

According to another modification of the invention, a spring pressed piston is positioned about the electrodes andso arranged that when the pressure within the generating vessel reaches a predetermined value, the piston will be depressed and will remove the water from about "ice the electrodes, and the generation of the steam will cease. In this modification, a fixed quantity of water is provided suflicient to generate the required pressure in the generating vessel so that substantially a constant pressure Will be maintained on the exterior of the bag so long as the electrodes are energized.

In two modifications of the invention, a water reservoir is positioned to oneside of the generating vessel in which the condenser is positioned, whereby the condensed steam is added to the water in the reservoir. The generating chamber may be insulated to minimize the condensation of steam therein.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1- is a" vertical sectional view through one modification of the squeeze dryer of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a segmental sectional view of a second modification of the invention, and

Figure 3- is a segmental sectional view of a third modification of the invention.

Construction of Figure 1 Referring to the drawings and especially to Figure l, the reference numeral 10 represents a generator or pressure vessel which is preferably insulated for a purpose which will presently appear. The generator or pressure vesselmay be assembled to the frame of a washing machine, but is shown independently and is provided with a flange 11 which is supported upon a frame work generally indicated by the reference numeral 12.

A squeeze bag 13- is mounted on the interior of vessel 10 by means of a flanged ring 14 which may be bonded or otherwise secured to the open end of the bag 13. The ring 14 is provided with a flange 15 secured to an outwardly extending annulus 16 formed on the upper end of bag 13; The annulus 16 rests on flange 11 of vessel 10 and forms a seal therewith.

A cover 17 is pivoted to the frame 12 at 18 and is held in closed. position by clamps 19, the arrangement being such that a seal is forming between the flange 11 and the annulus 16 of the bag 13. Openings 20 are formed in the cover 17 for a purpose which will presently appear.

To one side of the pressure generating chamber 10 is a water reservoir 21 having a fill tube 22 and a partition 23 below which any suitable filtering material 24 may be positioned.

A steam generating chamber 25 is formed in the lower wall 26 of the vessel 10 beneath the bag 13. Water from the reservoir 21 is conducted to chamber 25 by means of a conduit 27. The level of water in the chamber 25 is controlled by a float valve 23, and the flow of water to the chamber 25 is controlled by a solenoid valve 29in a manner which will presently appear.

A pair of electrodes 30 extends upwardly into the chamber 25 through suitable insulation 31 and are connected to a suitable source of electricity by conductors 32 and 33;

A condenser 34 is positioned within the reservoir 21 and is connected to the interior of the vessel 10 by con duits 35 and 36. The inlet to the conduit 35 is closed by a pressure actuated safety valve 37, and a solenoid valve 38 is adapted to close the conduit 36 in a manner which will presently appear. The lower end of the condenser 34 is open'to the interior of the reservoir 21.

A conduit 39 is also connected to the interior of the generating vessel 10 and is connected to a pressure actuatable switch 40 of any well known construction.

The switch 40. is manually actuable to close the circuit through conductors 32 and 33 and is opened when a pre- Operation Figure 1 is produced in the generating A suitable quantity of water is poured into the reservoir ,j

, 21 through the fill tube 22, the valve 29 is closed and the water will collect in the bottom of the reservoir 21. The clothes to be squeezed are placed in the interior of the bag 13, and the cover 17 locked closed by the clamps The switch 40 is then manually actuated to closed position to energize electrodes 30, to open valve 29 and to close valve 38. Hater will flow through conduit 27 and the float valve 28 will maintain a definite level of water in the chamber over the electrodes 30.

Heat from the electrodes 30 will vaporize the water, i

and the pressure in the generating vessel 10 beneath the bag 13 will increase and cause the bag 13 to collapse upwardly and force the clothes upwardly against the closure 17 and squeeze the water or suds out of them. j

The water or suds thus squeezed from the clothes will flow through the openings '20 to any suitable drain- When the pressure within the generating vessel 10 reaches a predetermined value, for example, from 30 to 40 pounds per square inch, the switch 4% will open, valve 29 will close and the valve 38 will open. The steam in generator vessel 19 will flow through the conduit 36 into the condenser 34 where it willcondense and flow through the open lower end of the condenser 34 and Construction of Figure 2 The general arrangement of Figure 2 is substantially the same as that of Figure 1, and where the parts are the same they have been given the same reference characters.

The main difference between Figure land Figure 2 consists in the type of steam generator used. A flash type heating plate is secured in the bottom of the generator vessel 1t} and comprises a heating element 51 embedded in a suitable heat absorbing block 52 which may be of a suitable ceramic material secured to Van extension 53 in the bottom end of the vessel 10. v

An upstanding wall 54 forms a water reservoir'chamber 55 and asteam generating chamber 56. The float valve 28 maintains a definite level of water in the chamber 55 which is led to the chamber 56 by conduit 57.

A manually set valve 58 is positioned in the conduit 57 the water during succeeding squeezing operations.

Construction of Figure 3 In the modification of Figure 3, the electrodes'30 are mounted in the top of an insulating cylinder 60 secured to an extension 61 of vessel 10 by means of an integral disc 62. The cylinder 60 is surrounded by a piston 63 for controlling the level of water over the electrodes.

having a close fit with the interior wall of the extension 61 and is spring biased against the collar 64 by a compression spring 65.

The spring is so formed as to collapse vwhen a predetermined pressure is produced in the vessel 10, thus lowering the piston 63 and, accordingly, the water level in the extension 61 so that the level is below the lectrodes 30, and steam generation will then cease.

The condenser and water reservoir is unnecessary in this modification. A fixed quantity of Water is originally charged into the generator vessel 19 sutlicient to raise the pressure to the desired value, say about 40 pounds per square inch. The spring 65 is so chosen that the piston will be moved downwardly at that pressure and remove the remaining water away from the electrodes 30, and the generation of steam will cease.

A manual switch may be provided to shut ofi the CHI".

rent to the electrodes. If that switch is notturned 011? immediately, some of the steam will condense, and the pressure will drop, causing the piston to rise and again immerse the electrodes in water and generate more steam and again lower the piston as before. Thatprocess will continue as long as the switch remains closed with a result,

that a substantial constant pressure will be exerted on the bag 13 and correspondingly upon the clothes within When the switch is opened, the steam will gradually condense and relieve the pressure so that the closure may be opened and the squeezed clothes removed.

From the foregoing, it is evident that each modification of the present invention provides a simple arrangement for producing the necessary pressure in a squeeze dryer for clothes.

While I have shown and described but three modifications to my invention, it is to be understood that those modifications are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited 7 to the specific structure shown and described, but wish to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

.I claim: I

1. A unitary squeeze laundry dryer comprising an open topped closed bottom generating vessel, an open topped flexible squeeze bag mounted in said vessel so as to form a closed chamber between said vessel and said bag, an apertured closure for closing the top of said bag and vessel, a steam generator formed in the bottom of said vessel within said chamber beneath said bag, means for leading water to said generator and means for energizing said generator to vaporize the water Wherebysqueezing pressure may be applied to said bag.

2., A squeeze dryer, according to claim 1, including pressure responsive means for deenergizing said steam 7 generator. I I

, 3. A squeeze dryer, according to claim 2, including means for cutting ofi the flow of water to said generator in response to the deenergization thereof.

4. A squeeze dryer, according to claim 1, including a pressure responsive means for opening communication between said vessel and condensor.

7. A squeeze dryer, according to claim 1, in which said steam generator is in the form of an electric heating element. p p V 8. A squeeze dryer, according to claim 7, in which said heating element is of. the electrode type, and means 9. A squeeze dryer, according to claim 7, in which said heating element is of the flash boiler type, and means for controlling the flow of water thereto.

10. A squeeze dryer, according to claim 7, in which said heating element is of the electrode type, and pressure responsive means for lowering the liquid level below the electrodes when the pressure within said vessel reaches a predetermined value.

1,047,060 Hulbert Dec. 10, 1912 6 Elling July 27, Drake Aug. 23, Barge Mar. 14, Woodward Ian. 22, Hagopian Feb. 8, Grondahl July 31,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 1, 

